Our People
Central to GHI's successful operation is its Board of Trustees, comprised of earthquake specialists with strong ties to the academic, business, and government sectors. GHI's Board of Advisors is a group of international experts in the earthquake risk of developing countries; they provide technical guidance to GHI and occasionally participate in GHI projects. GHI's staff, which carries out the organization's day-to-day operations, is located in Palo Alto, California and in Delhi, India, with easy access to many of the world's most experienced earthquake risk managers. GHI's administrative costs are low because its staff is small in number, well educated, and highly motivated, having witnessed the consequences of both earthquakes and earthquake preparation.
Between them, the members of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Advisors, and the Staff have literally centuries of experience in seismology, earthquake engineering, and mitigation.
Shirley Mattingly
"In managing responses to fires, floods, and earthquakes in California and the Pacific, I have seen lives shattered, families separated, and neighborhoods turned to rubble. This experience taught me that human suffering can be greatly lessened through measures we already know and understand. I work with GHI to apply my experience where it is needed most."
Former Director, Region IX
U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency
Lahaina, Hawaii
L. Thomas Tobin
"I've stood in Armenia on a spot where a school had stood just a week before—and 600 children's lives were lost. This experience drove home the need to blend the human dimension with the traditional economic view. GHI offers a solid, realistic approach to change, one devoid of political, financial, or religious agendas. In working with GHI, I have the opportunity to save tens of thousands of lives."
Former Executive Director
California Seismic Safety Commission
Mill Valley, California
